DVD Shopping Bag: 5 Last Minute Criterion Blu-ray Gift Ideas!

We have a week to go until the big gift giving holiday. Ordering items on Amazon is a tough call, even at this point. So, your last hope is heading out into the malls! Now, wait, I know what you are thinking. The headline said “5 Last Minute Criterion Blu-ray Gift Ideas!”, but, Bob, where does one buy DVDs or Blu-rays from the Criterion Collection? You certainly can’t get them at Wal-Mart, Target or even Best Buy (don’t bother on the last one, trust me). No, my dear Maniacs, you have but one choice, Barnes and Noble. The Barnes and Noble selection of Criterion DVDs and Blu-rays is always amazing. The best part of this being a last minute gift column is that Barnes and Noble loves to hand out last minute coupons (via email) and Criterions are expensive by regular DVD/ Blu-ray standards. So this means (dunh dunh duh) they will be there! So without further eloquence or plugging, let’s get to Mania’s “5 Last Minute Criterion Blu-ray Gift Ideas!”

Despite the film being incredibly dated by the clothes, cars, and film stock, The Blob glistens in 1080p. It is almost creepy to see loose strains of hair free standing off of Steve McQueen’s head. Jane Martin’s eyes truly are a bright blue sky and the one that McQueen is fighting for. The Blob, itself, glistens in the darkness and is completely translucent when it needs to be. It even appears to have a heartbeat with its blood red surface.

2. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (Spine# 452) - For Dad, Grandpa, and the Spy Enthusiast

A recent release from Criterion that features an incredible cast in Richard Burton and Claire Bloom. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold is a realistic portrayal of the life and times of Cold War Europe. A tale that is a tad more realistic than any James Bond film. What they will truly love are the hours of special features included on the Blu-ray. Everything from an uncompressed soundtrack, by Sol Kaplan, to interviews about the film from 1967 to 2000.

3. Godzilla (a.k.a.Gojira, Spine #594) - For the Kaiju Fan in the Family

There is an incredible featurette detailing the matte paintings and special effects used for Gojira. Key insights are supplied by the original special effects supervisor, Koichi Kawakita, and special effects director, Motoyoshi Tomioka. This featurette is required watching upon completion of either version of the film. You’ll wonder how they did so much with simple camera tricks. A recent (2011) interview with Japanese-film critic Tado Sato opens the doors to the impact Godzilla had on Japan and the world. Sato also elaborates on the men involved and how this was the biggest thing to ever come out of Japanese cinema. With all the rich commentaries and interviews on the disc, it was the short historical documentary about the Lucky Dragon #5 sailing ship that was the unexpected surprise. No, these sailors never met their end by the hands of a giant lizard. They were only witnesses to a hydrogen bomb test on the bikini atoll whose horrific story inspired the birth of Godzilla. Finishing off this documentary is look at the actual ship remains and its final resting place.

4. Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku - For the Movie Geek

We all have that Movie Geek in the family. Usually, we are that Geek. We all know someone that seeks out the bizarre and unique. Criterion delivers it in four fold with Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku. You’ll get THE X FROM OUTER SPACE(watch the trailer below),GOKE, BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL(A Japanese version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers),THE LIVING SKELETON(pirates, need I say more?!), andGENOCIDE(this one has killer insects). Check out the trailers here.

Have you ever gotten a gift from someone that was just so out in left field, you still wonder why you got it? Here is your great chance to get even. House (1977) by Nobuhiko Obayashi is the perfect thing to screw with their mind. Imagine Sam Raimi (Evil Dead) and and Terry Gilliam (Brazil) collaborated on a film together and you get only a glimpse of what House delivers. School girls take a vacation to visit a friend’s grandmother, when hell, literally, breaks loose. This is one for the ages and if you truly love bizarre cinema, you’ll want to pick one up for yourself, as well.

COMMENTS AND RESPONSES

House is a batshit crazy movie. Saw it this summer for the first time and it earns every single WTF moment it gets. Appearently it has been really influencial on a bunch of filmmakers though. I wasn't a fan but it was definitely one of the wierdest damn things I've ever seen.